Sunday Sip

You've got to take the wheel and drive along with other musings

Happy New Year, and welcome to your Sunday Sip. The holidays are in the rearview mirror, and it is time to take the wheel and steer as we head out to the highway! Grab your favorite cup of whatever floats your boat, and let’s do this!

Inspiration to take a shot

The various publications on Substack are a considerable source of inspiration for me. Actually, the inspiration for starting the Sunday Sip came from a couple of Substack publications: Mike Sowden’s Everything Is Amazing and Seth Werkheiser’s Social Media Escape Club. I highly recommend both of these great publications.

A recent Social Media Escape Club edition was titled “You can wait, or you can make your own shot,” and it hit home. In particular, these quotes rang out:

“Make your art, share your music, take your photos and then make your shot.”

And

“We publish, post, and repost, hoping to get picked.

Pick your people, build a community, grow together.

Make your own shot.”

After spending years jamming to Iron Maiden, Rush, and Judas Priest in my bedroom as a kid, I decided it was time to get into a band. I tried out with a local metal band called Harms Way. Well, at the time, they didn’t have a name but would become Harms Way. We jammed a couple of times, and it was great. They played thrash, which was a stretch for me at the time. I loved it. Yet, after a few weeks of jamming, they kindly told me they had found another guitarist.

I spent maybe two days or perhaps a week being bummed that I wasn’t picked to be their guitarist. Then I had a revelation. The lyrics to the Judas Priest classic “Heading Out to the Highway” came to mind:

So I'm heading out to the highway

I got nothing to lose at all

I'm gonna do it my way

Take a chance before I fall

A chance before I fall

In case you aren’t familiar with this epic tune, hit’em boys!

I started my own band. The band was called Battalion. I wrote a bunch of music and some of the lyrics. We ended up recording a demo EP and a full-length album. Both of those gems are on cassette and now available on a double CD thanks to Dies Irae label  (hink hink, wink wink). Along the way, we jammed all over and even had a gig at the Milwaukee Metal Fest in 1994 opening for Slayer (ok…we went on at 1 pm and Slayer at 10 pm or 11 pm.

I learned A LOT from being in a band. Particularly about how much work it takes to be in a local band playing original music. That experience impacts me to this day. I have the utmost respect and admiration for all the outstanding musicians in Michigan who pour themselves (and their money) into what they love. 

The thing is that I took a shot at playing music and being in a band. I didn’t become the next Dave Murray (guitarist for Iron Maiden - come on! Get with the program!). But I can still look back at that experience with pride in trying.

This same theme of giving things a shot continues to play out. When I met Brenda, she was writing a blog about her life and putting it out there for the world to see. She inspired me to put my photos out on a site I aptly named Just Chuckin Around. I think I put four pictures out on that site. Clearly, I was literally just Chuckin’ around. With Brenda’s encouragement, we hatched a plan to combine our efforts and create our own publication. We started telling stories about our lives, which became Life In Michigan. Little did we know that Life In Michigan would continue to evolve and enrich our lives in countless ways. Here again, we decided not to wait for an opportunity to knock; we opened the door and walked in. 

In the words of Donavan Frankenreiter in “Move By Yourself:

Don't stop doing what you believe in

Don't let them put you on a shelf

You've got to move by yourself

Take a minute to get down with Donavan, then come right back:

Now that all this is said, I still struggle with having the fortitude to push into the unknown. It is so comfortable and easy to lay back and just see what comes to the door. After we started Life In Michigan, I shifted gears hard into concert photography and learned to become a decent photographer. I dreamed that Billy Strings would come running to take me on tour. I thought someone would stumble upon my photos and say, “Hey Chuck…we want your work in our gallery!!! You loveable bastard!” 

It's not that I think I’m all that and a bag of chips. Yet I felt that I was pretty good at capturing images that accented our stories or, in the case of concerts, images that captured the essence of a performance. No matter how good you are, without putting yourself out there and actively creating your own scene, it won’t happen.

Many of us love to tell stories about our lives, stories about what we learn, stories about what we think, stories about people, places, and things that intrigue us—that desire for expression, whether through words, images, or sound, appears to be hardwired. 

For some, there is a desire to then share that creation with others. In my case, I’m curious about what others think of the art I create. I want to know if others are on the same frequency as me in this cosmic sound bath of life. Along the way, I’m soaking up the resonance of others around me. It is an infinite pool of sounds, visuals, and words that color every day. All of these resonate tones of life harmonizing in the beautiful symphony of our lives. 

When you desire to create and add your voice into this immortal work, sometimes you have to ignore the fear and take the wheel. As Incubus relates in “Drive”:

“When I drive myself, my light is found”

GIG - The Art of Michigan Music 

It is way early, but I’m extremely excited to announce a three-day art and music event called GIG - The Art of Michigan Music. Mark your calendar for November 8th, 9th, and 10th, and join us at ART 634 in Jackson.

What the hell is GIG???

GIG is a unique three-day event that puts the spotlight on the art of the Michigan music scene and promotes our fantastic music community. To paraphrase KISS Alive! - You wanted the best, and you got it. The hottest show in the land…GIG!! Here is what GIG brings to you:

• GIG Art exhibit: Get a backstage pass to the best concert photography, gig posters, t-shirt designs, and album artwork created in Michigan. Feel the emotions of Michigan music as seen through the eyes of the artists. All artwork is on sale for you to take home that treasured Michigan music memory. The exhibit will be open from Friday night through Sunday afternoon.

• Friday Night VIP Experience: Kick off GIG with our exclusive VIP experience. Get to know the renowned photographers and poster/album artists, all while enjoying awesome food and beverages. Don't forget to pick up your exclusive GIG swag bag! The evening will also feature a super-duper special guest and exclusive live music performances to set the tone for an unforgettable weekend.

• Saturday Sessions: Jump into informative and engaging sessions that dive into important topics for Michigan music artists and enthusiasts. Gain valuable insights and knowledge from industry experts to elevate your appreciation for our local music scene.

• Saturday Michigan Mix-tape: Let's rock with the ultimate Michigan music mix-tape as some of Michigan’s best bands jam for you. Experience the electric energy of Michigan's music talents as they lay everything they have on the stage for you.

• Sunday Music Market: Explore our phenomenal Music Market on Sunday. Hunt for vinyl records, pick up that amazing t-shirt or poster, and meet local bands. Get your hands on the latest music and merchandise, and hang out with the artists.

I originally put on GIG as an Ann Arbor art show in January 2015. As I wrote earlier about making things happen, there were all these great concert photographers and artists making posters who were unknown to most folks. You may see a picture of your favorite artists or a cool poster for a band’s gig and have no clue who created that art. GIG is a way to allow folks to get to know these artists. 

Over the years, I’ve been asked if I would put on another GIG. I resisted as it was a ton of work. With the encouragement of my friends John, Steve, Jason, and Berkeley at Manchester Underground Music and Art, I thought now was a good time to bring it back. I’ve enlisted the help of Lori Stratton (Stratton Setlist, Michigan Music Alliance, and A2Pulp) and some input from musicians Jennifer Westwood and Dylan Dunbar.

The goal this time is primarily the same: to put a spotlight on the artists who create the images that highlight music in Michigan. However, this time around, we’re going to expand to create an event where you can share ideas with other artists, experience live Michigan Music, and shop for music while supporting Michigan music businesses. I’m hoping you’ll be able to join us for this ride. Keep your eye on our GIG Facebook and GIG website as we provide more information on artist submissions, live music lineups, who will be our special Friday guest, and sponsorship / vendor / volunteer opportunities.

Upcoming Events You Won't Want to Miss

Every week, there is so much to share. If you have events that we miss, please be sure to drop a note on Substack.

Brewday with Stiggs Brewery & Kitchen on January 13th in Boyne City - Come hang out with us, Mike, David, and Derek from the Stiggs Brewery team and the Stiggs Brew Club. We’ll brew a batch of Camping With Uncle Charlie and celebrate seven years of Stiggs Brewery!

Michigan’s Great Beer State Conference and Trade Show is on January 10-12 in Kalamazoo. Get an in-depth experience in all things hops, malt, and beer at the annual Michigan Great Beer State conference. Life In Michigan will be at the tradeshow to show off our super duper writing and photography skills.

12th Annual Thunder Bay International Film Festival on January 24-26 in Roger City, Harrisville, and Alpena - For five days each January, the Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary brings the world of cinema to northeast Michigan with some of the most impressive ocean and Great Lakes films from around the world. Film screenings are complemented by social events, educational activities, and opportunities to meet filmmakers. The Thunder Bay Film Festival is the only water-focused cinematic event in Michigan!

Nathan Walton and the Remedy with Fangs and Twang and Valentiger on January 26 in Grand Rapids - Hit the Tip Top Deluxe in Grand Rapids for a night of Michigan music. You won’t be disappointed.

In Other News

Coming up this month in Rural Innovation Exchange are stories on Manchester Underground Music and Art and Michigan Merinos. Over on MiBrew Trail will be our chat with Levi and Callee from Archival Brewing.

Adventures Yet To Print

Oh man, do we have adventures in simmering for you on the stoves at Life In Michigan. We are this close (cue visual of two fingers just a smidge away from each other) to completing an epic travelog on our trip to Italy. We enjoyed four weeks in Florence and another week spread across Sorrento and Rome. A recap of our barbeque adventures in Austin, Texas, to celebrate Jeff’s 60th is on the horizon. We’ll also have even more stories coming to MiBrew Trail and Life In Michigan based on the Michigan Great Beer State conference and our brew day with Stiggs.

What Are You Reading?

I’m currently loving My Effin’ Life by Geddy Lee. The audiobook is superb as you hear the story from Geddy himself—the five-mile morning walk breezes by. As much as I have admired and perhaps idolized this man, I’m struck by how “regular” he is, all things considered. In a way, I see Geddy in the same light as Dave Grohl. They both are fans of music and made it their lives. I’ve got a lot more to say about this, but I will save it for when I finish the book as I feel yet another Sunday Sip theme percolating on the theme of Rush.

What Are You Spinning?

Speaking of Rush, since I’ve been listening to Geddy talk about the making of some of my most favorite albums, I figured a retrospective listen of the albums was in order. I started at the beginning with the raw, rocking self-titled debut Rush, released in 1974. I’ll go into all the gory details about torturing my family while learning “Working Man” in my next Sunday Sip.

That’s A Wrap

Thank you so very much for spending your Sunday morning or Monday afternoon or, hell, Friday night with me. Hopefully, you enjoyed this edition as much as I did. Until next time, here are some frogs having fun in the pond.